Bracebridge teen gets drafted into OHL

SEAN ROSS

A local teen is one step closer to making his dreams of playing in the NHL come true.
Sean Ross, who very recently turned 16, received word on April 5 that he was drafted into the OHL.
After fielding calls and questions from 11 different OHL organizations, the offer came through from the Windsor Spitfires. Of 300 players drafted in 15 rounds, Sean is the only player from Muskoka drafted this year, chosen in the eighth round.
“And on April 5, draft day, Windsor picked me,” said Sean.
His father Jamie said Windsor seemed very serious about getting the young player, selling him on the program. He is pleased, calling it a good organization.
The centre has been commuting down to Orillia to play in triple-A for the North Central Predators. He played for the South Muskoka Bears for five years, reaching peewee and has been playing triple-A for the past five years. He has trained with Mike Torkoff with Next Level Sports and was fortunate to attain local sponsors A&W Bracebridge and Muskoka Chrysler to help cover the cover the costs of his equipment.
“I’m excited, happy and very grateful,” said Sean, although admitting to being a little nervous.
Jamie said it will be difficult for his son to make the team straight away because he will be playing against boys up to about 21 years old.
“His goal is to make it this way, but they probably think he’s a year away before he makes the junior squad,” he said.
Sean will head down to Windsor to attend the Spitfire’s camp and tryout for the team in August. He will have more details when he gets his training schedule. Regardless of whether he makes the team this year or not, the Spitfires will work to develop his skills.
“We’re not sure where he’ll play this year. If he doesn’t make Windsor they’ll want him to be playing at the highest level he can because they’ll want to develop him,” Jamie said.
Sean said he thinks he’ll be able to change their minds when he gets to training camp and has high hopes for making the team this year.
“I’m pretty fast on the ice. I can skate pretty fast,” he said. “I’m one of the bigger ones, I guess. I play tough and I’m pretty smart in hockey IQ.”
It was Sean’s hockey IQ that the scouts were praising when they called. They were also enamoured with his competitiveness and ability to play good offence and defence as a centre iceman.
“I’d like to make the NHL one day. Play professional hockey,” he said. “I haven’t thought much about it. I’d like to get a scholarship out of it.”
Sean, a student at Bracebridge Muskoka Lakes Secondary School, is not concerned about leaving things behind. The OHL puts great stress on education and he hopes to someday attain a scholarship in either Canada or the U.S. and is glad for the chance to focus on his hockey skills.
From the first moment on the ice as a child, Sean said he knew that this was what he wanted to do, but it hasn’t been easy. It has taken hard work, dedication and training and he knows the hard work is nowhere close to over.